


Queer Prom!

by orphan_account



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Autistic Edward Nygma, Everyone Is Gay, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Gay Oswald Cobblepot, M/M, Minor Jim Gordon/Leslie Thompkins, Minor Oswald Cobblepot/Jim Gordon, Minor Tabitha Galavan/Barbara Kean, Pining Oswald Cobblepot, Prom, Queer Prom, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:28:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21639616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Prom...Oswald and Edward are going to prom! Queer prom! A Gothamite event created only for the queer youth unable to be their true selves at normal prom, and Edward was going with him! As a friend of course...
Relationships: Oswald Cobblepot/Edward Nygma
Comments: 6
Kudos: 20





	Queer Prom!

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted a highschool prom au :)))
> 
> I'm very very sorry if this is super self-insert this is taken almost ENTIERLY from my own experience going to a queer formal but a lot more gotham!
> 
> Sorry if anyone is OOC or anything, I was debating making Ed or Os trans as well (I am myself) but decided against it, I hope you enjoy!

Prom….

He was going with Edward Nygma to prom!

Edward had actually genuinely said yes to his joking response. Now if Oswald had said his heart hadn’t given out at the response, especially with the added fact Edward had admitted to wanting to ask him as well, then he would be a liar of the worst degree.

Technically, it wasn’t actually a school Prom. It was a Queer prom set up for teens under 18 that are unable to go to their school’s prom while being openly gay, trans, lesbian or anything in between. Hense the all-around “Queer” Title.

Oswald was gay, he’d known most of his life. Unfortunately, another thing he’d known for at least 5 years of his life was that he was always going to be deeply, hopelessly in love with his ‘straight’ best friend Edward Nygma. Well until Edward came out as bisexual three years ago after rejecting him the year before. Yeah, that one hurt a little, it turns out he had found out via a crush on one of the older boys at school too… One of the jocks that were extraordinarily talented in every possible way and Oswald would never be able to beat.

Well, it had all had to change now. He was going to prom with him! As best friends and nothing more! Oswald had known from the beginning that was the way it was but… A little self-contained wish fulfilment never hurt anyone.

He’d never had thought that even getting inside the building would be a hassle. There was a line all the way down the street of men, women and others dressed in extravagance to being in T-shirts and sweatpants. It was surreal to look at, Oswald had never seen such brightly coloured hair other than his own! Which was only ever occasionally dyed purple!

On the way past he definitely saw Jim Gordon which was an icy shock, He held Edward’s arm tighter as they made their way to the end of the entrance line. 

“Was that Jim?” Oswald murmered in his ear, Ed frowned. “I think so?” Both of them glanced back but then quickly kept walking to the back of the line, chatting to themselves.

Edward and he had met up before even getting to the event, Edward going to Oswald’s house of course and Oswald’s mother proceeded to spend the next twenty or so minutes taking pictures of them both. Oswald almost didn’t want to show Ed what she had taken pictures of, so sure that his affection would be way too in your face. Edward was wearing his brightest and shinest green suit, and while on anyone else and anywhere else it would be an affront to nature itself. Right now, on Edward Nygma? It was fucking gorgeous.

Oswald, on the other hand, was wearing a standard tuxedo with a cute penguin pin. Edward had insisted on buying the corsages and Oswald had melted when he actually got to wear it. The flowers on it he now wore with pride never felt before.

Honestly, despite the amount of time Oswald had to insist to his poor and loving mother that Edward was not his boyfriend. (Despite the fact they were holding hands when Oswald came out to her, a long story.) He felt as though he may be getting just a few more questions, and maybe a few facts thrown at him about their latest outing… He’d manage.

Right now though, Edward and he were desperately trying to find a familiar face in the crowd and maybe cut in line substantially. His luck set in when they both spotted Barbara and her on again off again girlfriend Tabitha, who they mutually hated. Edward nudged Oswald and grinned down at him, they both made a beeline for the duo, quickly smiling. Edward slipped out of Oswald’s grip and he felt the first pang of realisation as they settled down next to the girls in the lineup.

_ This is not a date _

“Ozzie!” Barbara called out, in the most revealing yet still somehow classy pink prom dress Oswald had ever seen. Oswald and Edward cried out a very overly happy “Barbara!” In return to her cry, Tabitha hadn’t even looked up from her phone yet. 

With a sudden jolt Oswald wondered if she saw Jim Gordon in the crowd too, their breakup was known around the school. Barbara went ‘insane’ for a while even breaking into his house once. Or at least that’s what the rumours are. It wasn’t until about a year after said breakup that he and Barbara even became friends, same with Ed and Barbara. But some people thought she still held a torch for him…

He suddenly realised he had entirely zoned out Edward and Barbaras conversation until he heard his own name. “Oh Ozzie I love your little suit and tie, Eddie too! Oh my god- are your shoes holographic?”

Ah yes, if Edward wasn’t tall enough already, he had Oswald had gone shopping only to find the single most insane pair of shoes either of them had ever seen in a shop. They were reasonably tall holographic wedges and Edward had bought them as soon as he worked out they fit. He now positively towered over Oswald, being almost a foot taller.

Edward’s smile only grew at the mention of the horrid shoes, “They sure do! I was thinking about attaching the same things as the light up shoes have too to make them even better.” Edward almost began talking about what would’ve been necessary to make that happen before Oswald cut him off with more pleasantries. “I love your dress too Barbara, the pink goes so well. You and Tabby matching huh?”

Tabitha, long suffering woman, finally looked up drearily from her phone exposing her intense smokey eye makeup and glare that could and probably would kill. “We went dress shopping together Pengy.” Oswald flinched at the nickname, karma for attempting to call miss Tigress ‘Tabby’ and maybe almost stabbing her on again off again boyfriend Butch that one time.

The line was slowly moving, Oswald had realised, when they actually moved back into the shade again. There was a man coming around to everyone with a camera and an awfully tall top hat. “Photo?” He asked with just a touch of crazy in his voice, weird frizzy hair and really weird moustache completed the look. Edward bumped his arm and muttered.

“You always talk about ‘vibes’ right? Well, I think this man has a very strange vibe.” Oswald snorted a laugh at Edward’s comment, he’d never managed to quite explain memes to his best friend but whenever Edward made an attempt it was often far more funny than the original.

Barbara cut off his thoughts by eagerly agreeing and putting her arm around Tabitha. The girls slipped between Edward and Oswald, Ed was now on Barbara’s side with Oswald on Tabitha’s. Well, this was going to be an awkward photo. They all smiled though, looking almost directly into the sun and the slightly creepy photographer grinned a little harder and sighed before moving on. They all had no idea where the photos would be after the event, or if they’d have to find this man again either. Oswald silently hoped they would not actually have to find the man again.

The line continued to a point where they were only several people away from the front. Oswald let out a sigh of relief.

_ I’ll be able to dance with Ed soon... _

Suddenly, someone called out.

“Cobblepot?”

There was only one man in his life who unironically addressed Oswald by his last name. “Jim? What are you doing here?” Oswald had already seen the man earlier of course, he didn’t bring it up before to Barbara for obvious reasons, but then again he’d also assumed that she had already seen him around.

Jim walked up, utterly ignoring Edward other than giving him a nod. Oswald knew they didn’t get along so it was a fair response. “I didn’t know I’d see you here either! I went with Lee.” He was dressed in a far less formal suit and more like the casual blue suit you’d see a businessman wearing to work. The pink tie he was sporting was a little more out there than Oswald expected though.

“Of course I’d go Jim, I’m gay, you know that.”

“Yeah well I’m bi, I thought everyone knew by now.” Oswald’s mind short-circuited.

_ Wait what? _

It was definitely news for Oswald! And the second time he’d been rejected by a ‘Straight’ person who then later came out to him. Second time stung more it appeared. “Sorry, never got the memo I suppose,” Oswald said sputtering. Barbara appeared to be eavesdropping in the background while still trying to ignore her ex.

Edward appeared shocked by the revelation too, as with a start he just said “Congratulations,” Both Oswald and Jim looked at him with mild concern before going back to discussing how much of a ‘wild coincidence’ it was that they met each other here. The conversation started to dwindle and became a little too awkward for Oswald’s liking after a while. (Jim and he talked every known again, they got a long yes, but they definitely were anything but close.) So, being the gracious person he was, Osward pretended he needed to focus on getting in the door more than talking to Jim.

Jim actually looked grateful for the excuse to get back to his girlfriend though, so Oswald didn’t feel too bad for suddenly putting all his attention on the man checking bags at the front. This, unfortunately for him, was an alcohol free under 18s party. No smuggling anything in. Edward flashed their online tickets on his really, really old phone and they both walked in the doors together.

Oswald grabbed hold of Edward’s arm, in his mind he hoped that to outsiders they looked like a couple. However, his grasp and moment of excitement was quickly drawn away as Ed bolted to a stall of free rainbow stickers. 

There were patches and wristbands for every sexuality. Celebrating gay and trans rights, Oswald’s heart warmed as Ed’s smile grew when he picked up his little bisexuality sticker and stuck it on his blazer. Oswald got them both trans rights bands. 

The foyer of the building was pretty full for the time being, with a clear sign to the main hall with all the tables and dance floor and stage. Around here were several stalls full of gay pride things and an area to check in your bags. It was a small room, but it was just like the front of a theatre, posters littered the walls. Some of them about gay rights, some about random events in the hall after tonight. One of them was a poster about consent, which Oswald definitely appreciated, but couldn’t quite understand why there was a pumpkin on it. He kept looking around.

Down a separate hall lined with red carpet, was a quiet space for when things got too loud. 

Silently, Oswald had never felt more welcomed, he was sure Ed felt the same. Edward got overwhelmed sometimes, their stupid public Gotham high school wasn’t sure how to deal with that. Ambulances going past any sort of siren and sometimes just yelling and screaming of any crowded public place made Ed uncomfortable. Really uncomfortable. The bright lights and singing would be no exception tonight and Oswald wanted Ed to feel as comfortable as possible. He had stim toys, one of which Oswald had taken to carrying basically everywhere they went, along with a pair of over-ear headphones.

When Oswald had heard that this place catered to that sorta thing, he called Edward almost immediately in excitement, he’d never heard his friend more happy about something so small…

Edward and he both put their bags in the little designated area, getting a number so they could get them again later. Oswald was almost shaking with excitement, what new people would he meet? Would anyone else from school be here? Would Edward dance with him straight away? What sort of songs would there be?

It all died away when he felt Edward a little tense at his side. He looked up to his friend and his excitement calmed a little.

“Ed, we don’t have to go to the main hall right away.”

Edward shook his head and held Oswald’s hand, going straight down the narrow hallway into the hall. 

_ This is it! _

**Author's Note:**

> This is almost entirely out of personal experience, (Including weird creepy photographer) The Jim part was taken from a really weird interaction I had with an acquaintance we ran into that I do not like but my version of Edward had a massive crush on at one point????
> 
> So, do i relate to Oswald way too much especially in this story? Maybe! 
> 
> This is very wish fulfilment-ey but I just wanted to make it fun :)
> 
> (Sorry about my rant I am just a suffering gay)
> 
> ((Yes all the stuff that will happen in this story is just a recount of that night except the part where they actually get together))


End file.
